Freight such as grains, fertilisers and timber are likely to switch from road to sea in the Inverness region from the middle of next year following the award of a £2.3m freight facilities grant to Inverness Harbour Trust.
The trust expects around 80,000 truck miles a year to transfer from Scotland's roads. Chief executive Murdo MacLeod tells Motor Transport: "The grant allows port and rail operators to offer a cost-effective solution for freight," . He says the first shipment will probably
be made around May 2008.
Scotland's transport minister Tavish Scott took the opportunity to urge businesses to think about their freight priorities.
"This devolved government is committed to getting more freight off Scotland's roads and onto rail and water," he says.
The move comes as transport minister Gillian Merron gave the green light to Mersey Docks and Harbour Company's proposed Seaforth River Terminal near Liverpool.
The new terminal is expected to serve larger vessels in Liverpool's growing Atlantic container trade. Industry experts suggest Liverpool could now become the country's major gateway for container trade with the USA.
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